Hepsey Burke

r, heartily supported and encouraged in his efforts by all but Sylvester Bascom. Without being actively and openly hostile, the

that he was very young, and very foolish to attempt to make any change in "the good old ways" of the parish, whi

ed to regard Virginia as a harmless idiot with good intentions, but with positive genius for meddling in other people's affairs. Being the only daughter of the Senior Warden, and the leading lady from a social standpoint, she considered that she had a roving commission to set people right at a moment's notice; and there

--because, while Hepsey was "not in society," she was recognized as the dominant personality among the women of the village, and no parish enterprise amounted to much unless she approved of it, and was gracious enough to

ays went against the grain with Hepsey to say: "Don't do it." She was a firm believer in t

hen at Thunder Cliff, knitting her brows and poking the toe of her boot w

, Virginia? What's up

ginia hesitated,

day-nursery to care for the bab

tently at her visitor, pushed up her under l

ought of that before. Who's

ith the assistance o

nursing-bottle? Could you put a safety-pin where it would d

irginia replied in a dignified and lofty way,

sery would fill a long-felt want, or someth

ic people in Durford to subscribe the necessary funds,

does Mr. M

eir way; but he hadn't seen many in the village, and he didn't qui

stic. Maybe we might get the money;

rking women,

you really want my candid opinion, I don't think Durford needs a day-nursery any more than it ne

used to be, and we are going to fit it up with cribs, and all

find babies pushin' all over the sidewalk Monday mornin', comin' ear

ia dep

in undertaking the spadework of all Virginia's parish exploits--gave an afternoon tea to which all the subscribers and their friends were invited. But when everything was in readiness for patronage,

l stage in its career, and Mrs. Burke was called in to contribute some practical suggestions. She respon

ught they would be swarming all over

been sitting here four mortal days, and not a single infant has appeared on the scene. I must s

without eggs. But after all, it hardly seems worth while to go out and snatch nursing infants from their

ns to help us out. If we don't get any babies, we might just as well close our doors at once. I should be awfu

and assumed a very

rike snags, and to suffer because they aint appreciated in their own day and generation. It's only after we are gone and others take our places that the things we do are appreciated. You'll have to resign you

picion that Hepsey was still making fun of her; and

for the Christian martyrs. I'm trying to conduct a day-nursery, here

't got the bab

es we must have or close our doors. I must confess that I am greatly pained

ilence; then she smiled as if

t is lacking is public confidence in your enterprise. If you and Miss Quinn could be seen in the nursery windows dandlin' a baby on each arm, and singin' lullabies to 'em for a few days, i

suggestion and, after

t to pay for the loan of a

see rents have gone up like everything lately. But I should think that ten cents an afternoon ought to be sufficient. I think I might be able to

ved, and in a voice o

ally very,

e can find some babies somewhere even if we have to advertise in the papers. Now I mu

ene with the spoils of victory, in the shape of the eighteen-months infant of Mrs. Thomas McCarthy, for which he had been obliged to pay twenty-five cen

ake the darn thing quick. He's

ced, and gingerly possessing herself of J

Jimmy, it would give the nursery a dandy send-off, 'cause she was so well known, and Mr. McCarthy was such a prominent citizen. When she saw me cough up a quarter and play with it right under her nose, I co

d he was fed from a sterilized bottle on Pasteurized milk, and tucked up in a crib with carbolized sheets, and placed close to the window where he co

unison, all the time, they added much to the natural domesticity of the scene and seemed

rmly welcomed, and a great fuss made over the tiny black infant which gradually emerged from the folds of an old shawl "like a cuckoo out of its cocoon," as Mary Quinn remarked. This, of course, was very nice and encouraging, but most unfortunately, when night came, the mother did not appear to cl

cried. Mrs. Burke gazed musingly at the writhing bla

pt it, Virginia. You a

hysterically. "What in the w

de Andy Johnston, the colored man on the farm, to adopt it

iderably at this suggest

do you really

pay the extra expense, Mrs. Johnston might bring the baby up as

anaged to control her temper as

kind. You are always helpin

erience are hard--but I guess they're best in the end. Well, send the poor li

ould not, at the outset, have discouraged the whole baby project; experie

us easily solved, others presented them

takable signs of a bad rash on the faces of the twins, and very suspicious spots on the cheeks of the Warren baby. Even the antiseptic James McCarthy blushed like a boiled lobster, and went hopelessly back on his sterilized character. Of course the only thing to be done was to send at once for the doctor, and for the mothers of the respec

blivious of the well-meant consolations of Mary Quinn, sometime co-pa

scom; and it certainly isn't our fault that

Virginia was roused

axwell! Say, Mary, you just run and get me a wet towel to wipe my face with, while I hunt for my combs and do up my back hair. And then if you wouldn